Is a Spinal Cord Stimulator Implant Right for You? 6 Things to Know.
Picking up your dog shouldn’t hurt. Neither should getting out of bed.
Imagine a one-time, minimally-invasive procedure that can give you constant back pain relief for the rest of your life.
That’s what a spinal cord stimulator can do.
Here are some considerations to give you an idea of whether this back pain treatment may be for you.
1. You understand how this treats back pain.
Spinal cord stimulators treat back pain with electrical impulses believed to block the brain from receiving pain signals.
2. You understand the procedure and the healing process.
A spinal cord stimulator implant procedure is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure. It involves anesthetic injections and two small incisions (2 to 4 inches long).
The incisions make room to insert the small, thin wire leads and the neurostimulator under the skin.
There may be some discomfort for a few days as the skin heals at the surgical site.
3. Your pain management doctor approves.
Your doctor specialized in pain management will advise for or against spinal cord stimulation.
A trustworthy, qualified doctor would only recommend spinal cord stimulation if it had an excellent chance of success.
If you decide to go forward with the procedure, the doctor will order X-rays, MRIs, and psychiatric tests. Psychiatric disorders can lessen and even negate the benefit of spinal cord stimulation.
4. Your back pain is chronic.
Chronic pain is pain that lasts a minimum of three months. Yours may have already been around a lot longer than that.
A spinal cord stimulator provides pain relief by sending electrical impulses to the pain area.
5. Other methods haven’t worked for you.
You have tried other pain-relieving methods like surgeries, medications, non-invasive treatments, and conservative therapies (yoga, exercise, diet change, etc.).
Nothing has worked or provided enough relief.
6. You suffer from Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome is when back surgery doesn’t deliver the expected pain relief or creates a new pain problem.
It’s one of the most common conditions patients cite as their main reason for getting spinal cord stimulator implants.
7. You suffer from one or more pain conditions.
Spinal cord stimulation can relieve pain caused by common conditions like arthritis, sciatica, and herniated disc.
It may also be a treatment option for conditions such as:
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – Burning pain in an arm or leg due to a traumatic injury, surgery, stroke, or heart attack.
Peripheral Neuropathy – Burning pain in the legs or feet due to nerve death.
Angina – Chest pain and shortness of breath.
Arachnoiditis – Painful condition caused when the membrane surrounding the spinal cord swells due to infection, injury, or chronic compression.
Non-Invasive Back Pain Relief in Texas
If you suffer from back pain, our team of board-certified pain specialists can help. We have over a dozen clinics in Texas, including Houston, Dallas, and Irving.
Give us a call at (972) 636-5727, and start down your path to pain relief today!
